Stamp-handle.



No. 632,668. Patented Sept. 5, I899.

H. A. ALM.

STAMP HANDLE.

(Application filed May 15, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HANS A. ALM, OF HANKINSON, NORTH DAKOTA.

STAM P-HANDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,668, dated September 5, 1899.

Application filed May 15, 1899. Serial No. 716,789. (No model.)

Yb all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HANS A. ALM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hankinson, in the county of Richland and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stamp-Handles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention has for its object to provide an improved handle for stamps and dies having the several improved functions hereinafter noted; and to such ends my invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

The especial object of my invention is to provide an improved handle adapted to receive and to be used in connection with any of the hand-stamps furnished by the Post-Office Department for postmarking, canceling, and back-lettering letters, &c., which handle on account of its elasticity will render the operation of using the stamp much easier and less tiresome to the operator, as no shock or jar is produced by the act of stamping or canceling, and which at the same time on account of this elasticity will cause the face of the stamp to engage flatwise or with full face with the letter or article being acted upon, thus insuring perfect impressions or markings by the stamp or die.

The invention in its preferred form is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a complete side elevation of my improved handle with the stamp or die applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a view, partly in side elevation, but with some parts sectioned, and the stamp or die being removed. Fig. 3 is a view in side elevation, with the spring or elastic stem portion sectioned and the stamp or die indicated in working position by dotted lines; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line cu m of Fig. 1, looking upward.

The part to be held in the hand is very much the form of a knob, (indicated by the numeral 1,) and it is provided with a short and heavy shank or stub portion 2. The stem portion of the handle is elastic and is formed by a coiled spring 3, which is provided at its lower end with a smaller return-coil 4, that is preferably closely wound and extends within the lower end of the said main coil 3. The upper end of the main coil 3 fits and is adapted to receive the shank 2 of the handpiece 1, and it is preferably very closely wound at this section, so that the elasticity of the spring 3 comes below said section. Preferably the shank 2 is provided with screw-like corrugations or threads, which adapt it to be screwed into and securely held by the said section 3*". Preferably, also, the shank 2 is provided at its lower end with a rubber facing or buffer 5, which normally stands some little distance above the upper end of the return-coil or socket a.

The numeral 6 indicates an ordinary stamp such as furnished by the Post-Office Department for use in postmarking, canceling, or back-stamping letters, &c., this stamp being in the form of a flattened head having a stem 7. The return-coil section 4 serves as a socket for and is adapted to receive the stem 7 of the stamp 6, and in cases where it does not exactly or tightly fit the same a thin paper Wrapping may be placed around the said stem.

In the use of the device above described it is obvious thatthe spring 3 will yield sidewise, so as to permit the flat under surface or face of the stamp 6 to position itself parallel with the surface being stamped, even though the handle is moved downward with its axis inclined with respect to the top of the stamping-table or other support upon which the letter or other article to be stamped is placed. This of course insures the proper impression or stamping action by bringing all of the characters embodied in a stamp into action. The yielding action of the spring under compression relieves the hand and arm of the operator from shocks and jars, and this is of material importance to a person compelled to use a stamp for several hours during the day or even for a much less time. If the blow is hard enough, the rubber buffer 5 on the shank 2 of'the handpiece 1 will be forced against the upper end of the socket or return-coil 4, and thus give the dies or characters or the stamp their final force or impact to insure the proper impression.

It will be understood that the device above specifically described is capable of considerable modification Within the scope of my invention.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. A stamp-handle comprising the handpiece 1 with shank 2, and the spring-stem 3 formed at its lower end with the return-coil 4 extended Within the same and constituting a socket to receive the stem of the stamp, substantially as described.

2. A stamp-handle comprising the hand- 1 piece 1 with screw-threaded shank 2, and 

